Improvement



if I 'NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I NATHANIEL POTTER, OF EAST HAMBURG, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR SCRAPING RUADS AND CLEARING GUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 48,591, dated July 4,1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, NATHANIEL POTTER, of East Hamburg, county of Erie,and State of New York, have invented certain new and usel fnlImprovements in a Machine for Improving Roads and Clearing Gutters atthe Sides of Roads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fulland exact description thereof,

reference being h ad to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification.

Figure l is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a plan or birds-eye view.`Fig. 3 is a section of a rut-cutter and a scraper with the outer endBBare blades of which are formed nearly of quadrant shape, and areprovided with vertical stocks sliding in grooved plates on the innersides of the longitudinal bars of the frame, and are attached by boltswhich pass through the frame and through the slots in the verticalstocks of the cutter, and are secured by nuts, the said slots allowingthe cutters to be adjusted to any required height. The cutter-blades arenearly horizontal, the curved or cutting edges beingI inclined slightlydownward.

F F are the scrapers for removing the loose dirt from the surface of theroad, and may be formed of metal, but usually of planks set vertcally onedge and shod on their lower front or cutting edges with plates of ironor steel, and are attached to the frame A A by vertical pins, on whichthey turn freely, so as to be adjusted at any required angle to thecenter' of the frame, and are kept in the required position by ironrods, which are attached to their I front sides and have their ends bentso as to catch' in holes on the upper edges of the side pieces of theframe, by means of which the outer ends of the scrapers may be boththrown forward, or one forward and the other back, according to thedirection dirt is required.

G is the pressure bar or lever, attached by pins to posts H and I on theframe.

J is the tongue or pole attached to the leading-axle C.

M M are twoadditional cutters, attached to the sides of a longitudinalcenter piece below the lever G, set in a reversed position from thefront cutters, and principally used in connection with the Scrapers F F,elevated at lthe outer ends, Fig. 3, for clearing gutters at the sidesot' roads.

For filling ruts the operation is as follows: The horses or otherdrawing power being attaehed and set in motion and the machine broughtwith its center over a rut in the road, the cutters E E will cut oft'the ridges on each side of the rut, throwing the dirt from the ridgesinto the hollow of the rut, the scrapers F F conducting the dirt eitherinto or toward the rut or toward the center ot' the 1'oad,as may berequired. The roller D will pass over the loose dirt which has beenthrown into the rut, making it firm and solid.

For clearing gutters at the sides of roads,

Vleaving them smooth and of an even grade, so

that the water may freely pass oi' without obstruction, the same machineis used by elevating the outer ends of the Scrapers F F at E, Fig. 3,securely hinged for that purpose at R, Figs. 2 and 3,` and held back, asdescribed, or by similar rods of iron, T T, back of the outer ends ofthe sorapers, Fig. 2. The outer ends of the Scrapers, when thus raised,are heldin the required position by means of bolts S S, Fig. 3, whichpass through straps of iron and that portion of the Scrapers thuselevated between said straps, the lsaid straps of iron being alsosecurely attached to the sides of the inner portion of the scrapers bymeans of bolts or screws. Thus arranged and the tealn or drawing powerattached to the Ina chine and properly guided,the cutters or plows M Mwill move the dirt from the center toward the sides of gutter, to beconducted farther by the Scrapers F F, so arranged as to leave the slopebetween the road or turnpike and the gutter at the angle desired.

This improved scraper will also be' found ver;v useful in leveling,` andsmoothing newlymade turnpikes, as well as for lling ruts and clearinggutters at the sides of roads, raising the road gradually to the center,and will be found n valuable labor-saving machine in making andrepairing ronds in general..

What I claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The manner of constructing` the Scrapers, as

described, so that they may be used either for

